Decadent Speculoos Tiramisu (Biscoff Tiramisu): The Ultimate No-Bake Holiday Dessert

Prepare to be enchanted by this utterly irresistible Speculoos Tiramisu, also affectionately known as Biscoff Tiramisu. This easy-to-make, no-bake dessert is an incredibly decadent treat, perfect for gracing any special occasion, from festive holiday gatherings to intimate celebrations. Imagine classic Italian tiramisu reimagined with the warm, spiced embrace of traditional Belgian speculoos cookies, layered with a rich, fluffy biscoff-flavored mascarpone cream. This delightful concoction, often called “Ch’tiramisu” in some regions of France, is guaranteed to be a show-stopping hit and leave everyone craving more.

Why You’ll Adore This Speculoos Biscoff Tiramisu

This dessert is where two culinary worlds collide in the most magnificent way: the timeless elegance of Italian Tiramisu meets the comforting, spiced allure of Belgian Speculoos cookies. The result is a truly decadent, moreish, and utterly delicious dessert that offers a familiar yet exciting twist. Unlike a classic tiramisu that traditionally features delicate ladyfinger cookies (savoiardi biscuits), our recipe innovatively uses fragrant, spiced Speculoos (or Biscoff) cookies, infusing every bite with warm, caramelized notes and a delightful crunch.

Crafted with two generous layers of coffee-dipped speculoos cookies and two sumptuous layers of creamy, biscoff-infused mascarpone, this tiramisu achieves a perfect harmony of textures and flavors. You’ll experience the signature spice from the cookies beautifully balanced by the light, airy, and incredibly creamy mascarpone filling. It’s a simply irresistible dessert that transforms a beloved classic into something fresh and exciting, making it a standout treat for any gathering. Its rich flavor profile and make-ahead nature also make it an ideal choice for holiday entertaining, impressing guests with minimal last-minute effort.

For those curious about its unique name, Speculoos Tiramisu is often affectionately referred to as “Ch’tiramisu” in France. The term “Chti” refers to a distinct dialect and cultural identity found in the North-East region of France, where speculoos cookies are almost as beloved and popular as they are in their native Belgium. This charming nickname highlights the dessert’s cross-cultural appeal and its deep roots in European culinary traditions.

Essential Ingredients for Biscoff Tiramisu

Creating this magnificent Speculoos Tiramisu requires a few key components that work in harmony to deliver its signature taste and texture. Each ingredient plays a vital role in building the rich layers of this no-bake dessert.

For precise measurements and full recipe details, please scroll down to the recipe card below.

• Speculoos Biscuits / Biscoff Cookies: These are the stars of our tiramisu, providing the unique spiced flavor. Speculoos are traditional Belgian spiced shortbread cookies, typically enjoyed around the end-of-year holidays. Lotus Biscoff is the most globally recognized brand of speculoos cookies. Feel free to use whichever brand is most accessible to you. Their crisp texture and caramelized spice notes are key to this recipe.
• Coffee: Freshly brewed coffee is highly recommended for the best flavor infusion. A strong, dark roast works wonderfully to complement the spices in the cookies. If you prefer to avoid caffeine, feel free to use decaf coffee without compromising on taste. The coffee is essential for dipping the cookies, adding moisture and depth of flavor.
• Egg Yolks: This recipe specifically calls for egg yolks, which contribute to the rich, creamy texture and golden hue of the mascarpone cream. We temper the egg yolks over a double boiler, effectively cooking them to ensure food safety, especially if you’re using unpasteurized eggs. This tempering step also cleverly incorporates air, making the final cream beautifully light and fluffy.
• Lotus Biscoff Spread / Cookie Butter Spread: This delightful spread is what gives our mascarpone cream its distinctive, irresistible biscoff flavor. You can use either smooth or crunchy varieties; both yield delicious results. I highly recommend gently melting the spread before incorporating it into the mascarpone mixture. This helps it blend seamlessly and prevents the mixture from potentially splitting or becoming grainy, which can sometimes occur with cold or firm cookie butter.
• Mascarpone Cheese: A cornerstone of any authentic tiramisu, mascarpone is a rich, Italian cream cheese. Its texture is similar to cream cheese but boasts a much milder, more neutral, and slightly sweet flavor profile. Mascarpone’s high fat content is crucial; it provides incredible richness to the cream and acts as a natural stabilizer, ensuring your tiramisu sets perfectly with a luxurious consistency.
• Thickened / Heavy Cream: To achieve the desired light and airy texture in our mascarpone cream, heavy cream is whipped and then folded in. It’s vital to use cream with a minimum of 30% fat content (often labeled as heavy cream or thickened cream), as anything less will not whip up properly to form stiff peaks, impacting the overall structure and creaminess of your dessert.

Helpful Substitutions and Variations

While the classic Speculoos Tiramisu is a masterpiece on its own, here are a few ideas if you want to customize it or work with what you have:

• Coffee & Alcoholic Liqueurs: Traditional tiramisu often includes Marsala wine combined with coffee for a deeper flavor. To make this recipe alcohol-free, I’ve omitted it. However, if you wish to add an alcoholic kick, you can substitute a part of the coffee (about 2-3 tablespoons) with Marsala wine, a rich coffee liqueur like Kahlua, dark rum, or even a good quality brandy. Each will impart a unique aroma and warmth to the dessert, enhancing its complexity.
• Whipped Cream vs. Whipped Egg Whites: I’ve thoroughly tested this recipe using both whipped egg whites and whipped cream in the mascarpone mixture. My conclusion is that whipped heavy cream creates a significantly nicer flavor profile and contributes to a much more luxurious, extra creamy, and incredibly decadent texture for this dessert. While the recipe would technically work with whipped egg whites, the resulting texture would lean closer to a mousse, being lighter and airier, but potentially lacking the richness and stability that whipped cream provides.
• Speculoos Crumbs & Cocoa Powder Topping: To finish this delightful dessert, I’ve opted for a generous sprinkle of crushed biscoff cookie crumbs. This not only adds an appealing visual texture but also reinforces the cookie’s distinct flavor and a slight crunch. As an alternative, you can absolutely use unsweetened cocoa powder, just like in a classic tiramisu. This will introduce a lovely hint of chocolate, beautifully complementing the spiced cookies and rich cream, adding another layer of depth to the dessert.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Biscoff Tiramisu

Crafting this elegant Speculoos Tiramisu is a rewarding process, made easy by breaking it down into two main stages: preparing the creamy mascarpone mixture and then assembling the layers of deliciousness. Follow these steps for a perfectly decadent dessert.

1. Prepare the Biscoff Mascarpone Cream

The very first step to achieving a dreamy Speculoos Tiramisu is to master the biscoff mascarpone mixture. This forms the luscious heart of our dessert.

• Photo 1: Begin by setting up a double boiler. Place a large heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan containing a few centimeters of water. Ensure the bottom of the bowl does NOT touch the simmering water to prevent the eggs from cooking too rapidly and curdling. Turn the heat to medium and bring the water to a low simmer. Add the egg yolks and brown sugar to the bowl. Immediately begin whisking continuously.

This gentle heating and whisking process is crucial for tempering the egg yolks, making them safe to consume. It also brilliantly aerates the mixture, creating a light, fluffy base for your cream. Keep whisking vigorously!

• Photo 2: Continue whisking for approximately 3 to 5 minutes. During this time, the mixture will undergo a remarkable transformation: it should almost triple in volume and turn a beautiful pale beige color. A good indicator of readiness is to rub a small amount of the mixture between your fingers; if you can no longer feel any sugar grains, it’s perfect. Carefully remove the bowl from the stove (remember, it will be hot!).

This tempering step serves two vital purposes: first, it gently cooks the egg yolks, making them safe to eat, especially if you’re using unpasteurized eggs. Second, and equally important, it whips a significant amount of micro-bubbles into the mixture, which will contribute to a remarkably lighter and fluffier final mascarpone cream.

• Photo 3: Now, incorporate the Lotus Biscoff spread into the warm egg yolk mixture. For the smoothest result, it’s highly recommended to pre-melt the biscoff spread slightly (you can do this in the microwave for a few seconds or over the double boiler before adding it). Whisk until the biscoff spread is fully combined and the mixture is uniform.

Biscoff spread, especially when cold, can sometimes cause creamy mixtures to split or become slightly grainy when initially mixed in. Pre-melting it helps to mitigate this, ensuring a perfectly smooth and integrated mascarpone cream.

• Photo 4: Finally, add the mascarpone cheese to the bowl. Gently mix with your whisk or a spatula until you achieve a completely smooth, luscious mixture. Be careful not to overmix at this stage to maintain the mascarpone’s creamy texture.

• Photo 5 & 6: For an extra layer of flavor that truly celebrates the speculoos, you can optionally add your preferred spice mix and a tiny pinch of fine table salt. I personally use the same delightful Speculoos spice mix that I incorporate into my homemade speculoos cookies, which typically includes a fragrant blend of cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and star anise. If you prefer a simpler approach, a dash of just cinnamon will work beautifully, or you can omit the extra spices entirely if the Biscoff spread provides enough flavor for your liking. Mix until just combined.

• Photo 7: In a separate, chilled bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), pour the cold heavy cream. Whip the cream on medium to high speed until it reaches medium-stiff peaks. It’s important not to overwhip the cream into very stiff peaks at this stage, as we want the final mascarpone mixture to remain creamy and light, not overly dense or buttery.

• Photo 8: To complete the biscoff mascarpone cream, add a small portion of the whipped cream to your biscoff mascarpone mixture. Gently fold it in using a spatula with a light, lifting motion. Continue adding the remaining whipped cream in small batches, carefully folding it in until it’s fully incorporated and the mixture is uniformly light, airy, and creamy. This gentle folding technique ensures the cream retains its volume and the final product is wonderfully delicate.

2. Assembling Your Speculoos Tiramisu

With the creamy mascarpone prepared, it’s time to layer all the delicious components to create your stunning Speculoos Tiramisu. This is where the magic truly happens!

• Before you begin layering, ensure all your components are ready: the freshly prepared biscoff cream, your supply of speculoos cookies, and the brewed coffee. Have your rectangular ceramic baking dish conveniently at hand.

For this recipe, a 21 x 29 cm (approximately 8 x 11 inch) baking dish is the ideal size, allowing for perfect layers and presentation.

• Photo 9 & 10: Pour your brewed coffee into a shallow bowl, making it easy to dip the cookies. Working one cookie at a time, quickly dip each biscoff cookie into the coffee. A brief 1 to 2-second dip is sufficient, as these cookies absorb liquid very rapidly. Immediately place the dipped cookie at the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Continue this process, arranging the cookies snugly to form a tight, even layer. If there are any gaps or empty spaces, simply break some cookies into smaller pieces to fill them, ensuring a complete cookie base.

It’s crucial to only dip the speculoos into the coffee for a couple of seconds at most. They are highly absorbent and will quickly become oversaturated and fall apart if left to soak for too long, which will affect the texture of your tiramisu.

• Photo 11: Once your first layer of coffee-dipped cookies is complete, dollop about half of the biscoff mascarpone cream over the cookies. Using a spatula, carefully spread the cream into an even, smooth layer, ensuring it covers all the cookies uniformly.

• Now, repeat the layering process to create a double layer of cookies for an even more satisfying texture. Place another layer of coffee-dipped speculoos cookies directly over the mascarpone cream, making sure they fit snugly. Immediately follow this with a second layer of dipped cookies over the first, creating a robust cookie base. Finally, cover this double cookie layer with the remaining biscoff mascarpone cream, smoothing it out with your spatula for a neat finish.

• Photo 12: To elegantly finish your Speculoos Tiramisu, take the remaining biscoff cookies and crush them into fine crumbs. Generously sprinkle these crumbs evenly over the top of the tiramisu, ensuring the entire surface of the mascarpone cream is beautifully covered. This not only adds a lovely visual appeal but also provides an extra burst of speculoos flavor and a delicate crunch.

• The final, and perhaps most challenging, step is patience! Place the assembled tiramisu in the fridge to set. It requires at least 6 hours of chilling, but for the absolute best flavor and firmest texture, letting it set overnight is highly recommended. This allows all the flavors to meld together perfectly and the cream to stabilize.

Frequently Asked Questions About Speculoos Tiramisu

Pro Tips & Troubleshooting for Perfect Speculoos Tiramisu

Achieving the perfect Speculoos Tiramisu is easy with a few key techniques and considerations in mind. Here are some expert tips to ensure your dessert turns out wonderfully every time, along with advice for common challenges:

• Tempering Egg Yolks for Safety and Fluffiness: While technically optional if you are using pasteurized eggs and are comfortable with raw egg consumption, cooking the egg yolks over a “bain-marie” (double-boiler) is highly recommended. This step ensures food safety by gently cooking the eggs. Crucially, continuously whisking the egg yolks and sugar while heating them introduces a multitude of tiny air bubbles into the mixture. This aeration process is key to creating a light, airy, and ultimately fluffier mascarpone cream, contributing significantly to the luxurious texture of your tiramisu.
• Handling Biscoff Spread for Smoothness: Lotus Biscoff spread has a tendency to seize or split when combined with other ingredients, especially if it’s cold. To achieve a perfectly smooth and integrated mascarpone cream, it is much easier to incorporate the Biscoff spread if it has been slightly pre-melted. You can gently warm it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds or over the double boiler before adding it to your egg yolk mixture. This simple step helps prevent a grainy texture, which can sometimes occur if the spread is too firm. This particular characteristic of Biscoff spread is also something to watch out for when making other creamy desserts like speculoos cheesecake.
• The Art of Dipping Speculoos Cookies: Speculoos cookies are incredibly absorbent and will soak up liquid very quickly. It is paramount not to let them linger in the coffee for too long. A swift 1 to 2-second dip per cookie is ample. Any longer, and they risk becoming oversaturated, dissolving, and falling apart, which would compromise the structure and texture of your tiramisu layers. You want them moistened, not mushy!
• Whipping Cream to Perfection: When whipping the heavy cream, aim for medium-stiff peaks, not overly stiff ones. The mascarpone cheese itself possesses a high-fat content and will provide additional stability to the overall mixture. Therefore, there’s no need to whip the cream all the way to very stiff peaks. Overwhipping the cream can result in a dense or “stiff” filling, rather than the desired light, creamy, and airy consistency that defines a truly great tiramisu. A medium peak ensures a luscious mouthfeel.
• The Importance of Chilling Time: Tiramisu is a dessert that benefits immensely from adequate chilling. While 6 hours is the minimum, allowing your Speculoos Tiramisu to set overnight in the refrigerator will yield the best results. This extended chilling period allows the flavors to fully meld together, deepen, and allows the mascarpone cream to firm up completely, making it easier to slice and ensuring a beautifully cohesive dessert. Patience is a virtue when it comes to tiramisu!

Storing & Freezing Your Speculoos Tiramisu

Proper storage is key to enjoying your homemade Speculoos Tiramisu at its best. Since this is a no-bake dessert made with fresh ingredients, correct refrigeration is essential.

Your Speculoos Tiramisu should always be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. When stored correctly, it will maintain its delicious flavor and creamy texture for up to 3 days. This makes it an absolutely fantastic make-ahead dessert, perfect for entertaining guests or preparing a treat in advance for special occasions. The flavors actually tend to deepen and become even more harmonious after a day or two in the fridge, so don’t hesitate to prepare it ahead of time!

However, I do not recommend freezing this tiramisu. The delicate texture of the mascarpone cream, when thawed, tends to become grainy and separates, resulting in an undesirable consistency. For the best culinary experience, always enjoy your Speculoos Tiramisu fresh from the refrigerator within the recommended timeframe.

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Recipe Card: Speculoos Biscoff Tiramisu

Speculoos Tiramisu (Biscoff Tiramisu)

5 from 1 vote

This easy Speculoos Tiramisu (Biscoff Tiramisu) is an incredibly decadent dessert to serve for special occasions. Made with spiced speculoos cookies and a rich biscoff mascarpone cream, this unique “Ch’tiramisu” is sure to be a hit with its delightful blend of flavors and creamy texture!

Servings:
8

Author:
Sylvie

Prep Time
30 minutes mins

Cook Time
0 minutes mins

Resting Time
6 hours hrs

Total Time
6 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

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Equipment

• 21 x 29 cm (8 x 11 inch) baking dish
• Large heatproof bowl (for double boiler)
• Medium saucepan
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Stand mixer with whisk attachment (optional, for whipping cream)

Ingredients

For the Biscoff Mascarpone Cream

• 4 large Egg Yolks, at room temperature, preferably pasteurised for safety
• 80 gr Brown Sugar, light or dark, packed
• 120 gr Biscoff Spread, smooth or crunchy cookie butter, slightly melted
• 250 gr Mascarpone Cheese, cold, full-fat for best results
• 1/2 teaspoon Speculoos Spices, or just cinnamon, optional – see note 1
• 1 pinch Fine Table Salt, to balance sweetness
• 240 ml Heavy / Thickened Cream, cold, minimum 30% fat content for whipping

To Assemble

• 500 gr Speculoos / Biscoff Cookies, approximately 2 standard packs
• 180 ml Freshly Brewed Coffee, strong and cooled
• Extra Speculoos Crumbs or Cocoa Powder, for dusting/topping

Instructions

• Prepare your 21 x 29 cm (8 x 11 inch) baking dish and ensure all ingredients are measured and ready.

Make the Biscoff Mascarpone Cream

• Set up a double boiler: Place a large heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan containing a few centimeters of water. Ensure the bowl’s bottom does not touch the water (see note 2). Bring water to a low simmer over medium heat. Add egg yolks and brown sugar to the bowl and immediately begin whisking. Continue whisking constantly for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture has significantly increased in volume (nearly tripled), turned a pale beige, and feels smooth with no sugar grains (see note 3). Carefully remove the bowl from the stove.
• Add the Biscoff spread to the warm egg mixture. It’s best if the Biscoff spread is slightly pre-melted for easier incorporation and to prevent splitting (see note 4). Whisk until completely smooth. Then, add the cold mascarpone cheese and whisk gently until just combined into a smooth, thick cream. Avoid overmixing.
• Stir in the optional Speculoos spices (or cinnamon) and the pinch of salt until evenly distributed.
• In a separate, chilled bowl (or stand mixer with whisk attachment), pour the cold heavy cream. Whip on medium-high speed until it reaches medium-stiff peaks. Do not over-whip.
• Gently fold the whipped cream into the biscoff mascarpone mixture in several additions using a spatula. Be careful to maintain the airiness of the whipped cream, folding until just incorporated and smooth.

Assemble the Speculoos Tiramisu

• Pour the freshly brewed and cooled coffee into a shallow bowl. Have your baking dish and Speculoos cookies ready for layering.
• Dip each Speculoos cookie into the coffee for only 1 to 2 seconds (see note 5), then immediately arrange them in a single, tight layer at the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Break cookies as needed to fill any gaps and create an even base.
• Spread about half of the biscoff mascarpone cream evenly over the first layer of cookies using a spatula.
• Create a double layer of coffee-dipped cookies: Place a layer of dipped cookies over the mascarpone cream, then immediately add a second layer of dipped cookies directly on top of the first. This creates a more substantial cookie layer.
• Cover the double cookie layer with the remaining mascarpone cream and smooth the top with a spatula.
• For the final touch, crush the remaining Biscoff cookies into fine crumbs and sprinkle them generously over the tiramisu, ensuring the mascarpone cream is fully covered. Alternatively, dust with cocoa powder for a classic finish.
• Cover the baking dish loosely with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to set for at least 6 hours, or ideally, overnight. This chilling time is crucial for the flavors to meld and the tiramisu to firm up.

Video Tutorial

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Notes

1. Spice Blend Customization: I used a homemade speculoos spice blend (details can be found in my homemade speculoos cookies recipe), which typically includes cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and star anise. If you prefer a simpler flavor profile, feel free to use just ground cinnamon, or omit the extra spices entirely if you find the Biscoff spread provides enough spiced notes for your liking.
2. Double Boiler Setup: When creating the double boiler, it is crucial to ensure that the bottom of the heatproof bowl does not make direct contact with the simmering water in the saucepan. Direct contact can cause the egg yolks to cook too rapidly and curdle, leading to a lumpy instead of smooth mixture. The steam from the simmering water is what gently heats and tempers the eggs.
3. Tempering for Safety and Texture: This step of whisking egg yolks and sugar over heat is not just about making the mixture safe to consume (especially if using unpasteurized eggs). It also significantly enhances the texture of your mascarpone cream. The continuous whisking incorporates many tiny air bubbles, resulting in a much lighter, more voluminous, and wonderfully fluffy final cream that is a hallmark of excellent tiramisu. Rubbing the mixture between your fingers helps ensure all sugar granules have dissolved.
4. Integrating Biscoff Spread: Biscoff spread, especially when cold, can sometimes become stiff and resistant to mixing, potentially causing creamy mixtures to appear split or grainy. To achieve a perfectly smooth and cohesive mascarpone cream, it is highly recommended to gently melt the Biscoff spread (e.g., in the microwave for a few seconds) before whisking it into the warm egg yolk mixture. This makes it much easier to incorporate seamlessly.
5. Cookie Dipping Technique: Speculoos cookies are very porous and absorb liquids rapidly. To prevent them from becoming overly soggy or disintegrating, immerse each cookie into the coffee for a very brief period – just 1 to 2 seconds is sufficient. You want them moistened and flavorful, not saturated and falling apart.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 721kcal |
Carbohydrates: 60g |
Protein: 9g |
Fat: 50g |
Saturated Fat: 23g |
Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g |
Monounsaturated Fat: 8g |
Cholesterol: 157mg |
Sodium: 251mg |
Potassium: 105mg |
Fiber: 1g |
Sugar: 29g |
Vitamin A: 1058IU |
Vitamin C: 0.2mg |
Calcium: 85mg |
Iron: 2mg

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